Mont Saint-Michel, against wind turbines, France

Source: Giuseppe Cetrino, The Local AFP, 29 August 2013

Source: Ouest, 27 Sept. 2013

This conflict on wind turbines ended with a court case decision in August 2013 against bulding a wind farm that would spoil the view and might make UNESCO withdraw Mont Saint Michel from the list of historical monuments.

Description

You will not see wind turbines from Mont-Saint-Michel. The judicial system cancelled in mid-August 2018, a project that provided for the installation of four wind turbines 140 meters high in Tremblay (Ille-et-Vilaine), south of the tourist site of Mont-Saint-Michel.

The building permit for these wind turbines had been issued by a prefectural decree dated 17 May 2011. The Environment and Landscape Association in Upper Brittany and Ille-et-Vilaine, as well as individuals and owners of the Château de la Ballue , a classified castle located seven kilometers from the location and where the wind turbines would have been visible, had attacked this decree in the administrative court.

The goal is to make sure that no wind turbine is visible from Mont Saint-Michel or that they can interfere in the landscape when viewed from the mainland. If wind turbines were not canceled, UNESCO threatened to downgrade the historic monument of St. Michel.

The problem of these wind turbines is not for ecological and wildlife concerns and not so much because of land acquisition but for the impact on tourism. There are esthetic concerns. Some association and international bodies disapprove the idea in particular the UNESCO who think that the installation of these 3 turbines will mess up the view from the Mont Saint Michel. Unesco declared that if the wind turbines are installed they will wthdraw the Mont Saint Michel out from the historical monuments list. This sanction will have a lot of consequences on the economy with less tourism.

At the origin of the project, it was supposed to have 4 wind turbines not far from Mont Saint Michel. As reported in the press, in August 2013 "a French court ruled against a decision to set up a wind farm off the picturesque northern abbey island of Mont Saint Michel which could threaten the site's UNESCO World Heritage status,. A local environment and landscape group and the owners of a nearby chateau had legally challenged a decision by the local administration in May 2011 to set up four wind turbines 140 metres high ... They complained that the wind turbines would be visible from the monument, which attracts about 2.5 million tourists annually, on a clear day and blight the view... Five wind farm projects around Mont Saint Michel had been rejected between 2008 and 2010 by the local government." [1].

Visible: Loss of landscape/sense of placePotential: Increase in Corruption/Co-optation of different actors, Increase in violence and crime

Outcome

Project Status

Stopped

Pathways for conflict outcome / response

Court decision (victory for environmental justice) Project cancelled

Development of Alternatives

Suspend the project/implementation of a management plan based on the view.

Do you consider this as a success?

Yes

Why? Explain briefly.

The conflict is over, the French courthouse gave his judgment in August 2013. The judgment has followed the recommendation of UNESCO and has suspended the project of wind turbines. At this moment the project cannot be relaunched. There will not have wind turbines in Bretagne close to Mont Saint Michel despite it is an ideal spot with good wind. Arguments on not spoling the view won in the court case.